1. Field of Invention
The present invention generally relates to a disc transportation mechanism, and more particularly to a disc processing device that holds and conveys discs using the center hole of a disc.
2. Description of Related Art
Disc processing systems such as CD/DVD publishers commonly have an inkjet printer for printing labels, and a disc transportation mechanism for conveying the discs. The inkjet printer typically has a printer tray for conveying the discs. When a disc is supplied to the inkjet printer, the printer tray is moved so that the label side of the disc passes the printing position of the inkjet head to print a label. When printing is completed, the printer tray is moved again and the disc is discharged to a disc transfer position.
The disc transportation mechanism has a gripping mechanism that grips the center part of the disc, an arm that on which the gripping mechanism is disposed, and an arm moving mechanism that moves the arm. When a disc is discharged from the inkjet printer to the disc transfer position, the disc transportation mechanism moves the arm to the disc transfer position. When at the disc transfer position, the gripping mechanism is set to the gripping position where it can grip the center part of the disc. When the gripping mechanism has gripped the disc, the disc transportation mechanism causes the arm to move and conveys the processed disc to the disc discharge stacker.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. JP-A-2000-260172 teaches a disc processing device that has such an inkjet printer and disc transportation mechanism. The gripping mechanism described in JP-A-2000-260172 inserts three fingers into the center hole that is formed in the center of each disc and drives one of the fingers radially out to push against the inside circumference edge of the center hole and grip the disc.
When the printer tray, and the mechanism that moves the printer tray, wear and age, it may not be possible to correctly discharge the disc to the disc transfer position. When this happens it may not be possible to accurately align the position of the gripping mechanism to the center of the disc even if the disc transportation mechanism positions the gripping mechanism to the gripping position after moving the arm to the disc transfer position. As a result, the gripping mechanism may contact the label surface and the label surface may be marred or otherwise damaged. Another problem is that the gripping mechanism may not be able to properly grip the center of the disc and the disc may be dropped.
Because the disc is discharged from the inkjet printer immediately after being printed, the ink on the label side of the disc discharged to the media transfer position is not dry. As a result, the printed label may be damaged if the gripping mechanism touches the label surface, and the disc may therefore be wasted. The label side may also be damaged or dust or other foreign matter may adhere if the disc is dropped, and the disc may thus be wasted.